Whilst passing through Castleknock this afternoon one of the Dublin Bus open
top tourist buses passed by with the upstairs apparently filled up with
trees ! It was a surreal sight. I presume they were using the upper deck as
a platform from which to lop overhanging branches and then using it to
transport them as well.

Paul Mc Cann

On 23 June 2011 15:09, IWAI forum Mick Farrell wrote:

> Posted at: [www.iwai.ie]
> Mick Farrell wrote:
>
> Yeah Tommy,
>
> It certainly helped me breath yesterday when one opened a non opening
> window. For a short while I had a wheelhouse tree. Anyway thanks for the
> offer of the chainsaw but I also carry one of them in me ships stores...!!
>
>
> Another tree attacked the 2 bikes on top of the boat and tore the saddle
> off one and bent the wheel of the other. I was warned that, like certain
> areas on the Grand, there were places that the locals might be a bit
> belligerant, but I certainly was'nt expecting to trees to come after me...!!
>
> M(W&W)F
>
>
>
>

A few pics from yesterday's epic stage of the journey. I did take a few meself earlier in the day but unfortunatly my "camera crew" , Holly, was still in bed and the camera was set to take video, which the PC won't open, so I can't show 'yis a WI weed boat, actually working...LOL, the few I took around the RCAG shed in Confey or crossing the Ryewater Aquaduct.

Mick I know I wanted to turn you into a "tree hugger" but bring them inside is a bit OTT. Could get you a good price on armoured glass. Seroiusly how do W I expect the canal to be used if these sort of obstacles are left in place.

Wha'.....Moi....a bleedin' tree hugger...!!
Hows Peter K....? You've been a bit quiet lately. I suppose you've been lurking in the reeds below Banagher somewhere....LOL....and mines a bottle of red..keep it out of the cooler please.
To paraphrase meself.....

A tree mugger, it broke out me glass,
As me 'oul boat was trying to pass,
One bikes saddle it broke,
The others wheel got bent spokes,
One still works but its a pain in the ass...!

So Tommy......an RB 10 and a hedge cutter off a tractor and I'm laughing...!! The tree stuff can happen but WI need to note that in places there are branches overhanging the navigation by 10 to 12 feet. Most are soft and just brush along the boat but every so often there's a stout branch hidden amongst the greenery. I've had 2 bikes and a bit of glass broken, but nobody got swept off the decks, impailed on a branch or lost an eye to a splinter of glass...(WI be warned). I was, however, very disapointed at the amount of stuff under Louisa Bridge. It took me, and Katie, 30 minutes using a boat hook, a barge pole and a grappling hook to move/ remove enough blocks to scrape and bounce the boat through. WI have more staff, equipment and resources and had 2 months to remedy the problem. I wonder what would happen if the navigation arch of Portumna Bridge had all that shite blocking it...??

>> To paraphrase meself.....
>>
>> A tree mugger, it broke out me glass,
>> As me 'oul boat was trying to pass,
>> One bikes saddle it broke,
>> The others wheel got bent spokes,
>> One still works but its a pain in the ass...!

Ahhhh.....yes indeed Conor...but I fear that wheel pictured above will be doing no more circles, full or otherwise. WI inform me that Louisa Bridge is already on their list of works, so hopefully the next time I pass through there may be a bit more water beneath it. Just as well the new bye-laws are'nt in place yet or the MCIB would be doing serious overtime...!!

Mick FarrellWha'.....Moi....a bleedin' tree hugger...!!
Hows Peter K....? You've been a bit quiet lately. I suppose you've been lurking in the reeds below Banagher somewhere....LOL....and mines a bottle of red..keep it out of the cooler please.
To paraphrase meself.....

A tree mugger, it broke out me glass,
As me 'oul boat was trying to pass,
One bikes saddle it broke,
The others wheel got bent spokes,
One still works but its a pain in the ass...!

M(W&W)F

Nope. Being lurking along the banks of Chubby creek, Texas Very worried though. If any more listees leave, I'll have nobody to fight with As long as PJ hangs around though, there should be some opportunities for a wind-up and stir

If I start reciting poetry like some on here, then I'll know for certain I've lost it

Safe journey!

Peter.

Take your time slow down
Witness the scene all around
Lay in the grass. Taste the air
Feel the breeze blowing through your hair
This is how you can be
Be high like a bird, just like me
Don’t be scared to be free
Be one with the birds just like me
Greet the flowers and hug the trees
Count the clouds, oh now I see
What its like to truly be

Greetings from beneath Cloncurry Bridge, a couple of miles East of Enfield. And NO.....I did'nt run out of water this time, just daylight. Left Kilcock Hbr. around 17.00 this evening with the infamous Vosse for crew. Vosse is coming along again tomorrow and we hope to do his blog, "live" en-route The canal does seem to be improving a bit, though I'm told there are still a few "tight" spots untill I reach Coolnahay. There was one bad half mile this evening with a narrow, shallow, rocky, overgrown tree lined section, but we got through.
A couple of pics from this weekend in Kilcock....

Hi ya Mick,
got to Kilcock about six yesterday evening, and there you were GONE ! Worse again ,you had kidnapped Vossie! Had a chat with 'Blackthorn' crew who were enjoying the weather and atmosphere - Kilcock was hopping. Hope the trip goes well, beyond the summit level it's a piece of ........! BTW wheelhouse roofs are flavour of this month.

You Fellas are having all the fun. I'm just Green with envy. Mick ,you'll steam through the long level and get out of dangerous Meath territory. Mick ,I never knew a barge could take part in water polo. That was you in goal ????
Did Kelly's hose stretch across the road or did you meet him half way?
I remember a bakery in Kilcock . I think it was Kelly's as well. In another life we ran a few marquees in the sixties and bought all the sticky buns from Kelly's bakery in Kilcock. I remember thousands of buns stored in my mother's front room. Haven't been able to eat one since.

PJ....
Not sure I'd call it fun exactly....more an adventure. Left Cloncurry Bridge at 10.45 and got to Enfield Bridge at 13.00, under which, I am currently having lunch. 2 hours 15 mins for 2 miles approx, and 5 attempts to plough me way through one mudbank. Vossie has just updated his blog from the boat, so you can check that out at... [ouchmybackhurts.wordpress.com]

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